Pub Date : 2025-02-26DOI: 10.1038/s44286-025-00186-x
Zhiwei Fang, Peng Zhu, Xiao Zhang, Yuge Feng, Haotian Wang
Existing lithium-ion battery recycling methods often involve energy-, chemical- and/or waste-intensive processes. Here we demonstrated a self-looped electrochemical battery recycling approach that enables efficient recycling of lithium and transition metals from spent cathode materials. These recycled materials can be directly applied to manufacture new batteries without further treatment. By operating electrochemical hydrogen evolution and oxidation reactions in a three-chamber porous solid electrolyte reactor, input Li2SO4 solution can be converted into lithium hydroxide and sulfuric acid with a Li+ transport efficiency of around 90%, at current densities of 100 mA cm−2 and low energy consumption (starting from 0.36 V). This is followed by a stoichiometric acid leaching and alkaline precipitation process that separates spent lithium metal oxides into high-purity (>99.7%) lithium and transition metal hydroxide products. The Li2SO4 solution can be successfully restored at the end of each recycling cycle, enabling a sustainable process that requires only H2O2 as an external input. This approach avoids external cation contamination and eliminates the need for waste stream treatments. Existing lithium-ion battery recycling methods often involve energy-, chemical- and/or waste-intensive processes. Here, the authors develop an electrochemical method for lithium-ion battery recycling based on a porous solid electrolyte reactor, enabling efficient reuse of valuable materials in spent cathodes, with high lithium and transition metal recovery efficiency and low energy consumption.
{"title":"Self-looped electrochemical recycling of lithium-ion battery cathode materials to manufacturing feedstocks","authors":"Zhiwei Fang, Peng Zhu, Xiao Zhang, Yuge Feng, Haotian Wang","doi":"10.1038/s44286-025-00186-x","DOIUrl":"10.1038/s44286-025-00186-x","url":null,"abstract":"Existing lithium-ion battery recycling methods often involve energy-, chemical- and/or waste-intensive processes. Here we demonstrated a self-looped electrochemical battery recycling approach that enables efficient recycling of lithium and transition metals from spent cathode materials. These recycled materials can be directly applied to manufacture new batteries without further treatment. By operating electrochemical hydrogen evolution and oxidation reactions in a three-chamber porous solid electrolyte reactor, input Li2SO4 solution can be converted into lithium hydroxide and sulfuric acid with a Li+ transport efficiency of around 90%, at current densities of 100 mA cm−2 and low energy consumption (starting from 0.36 V). This is followed by a stoichiometric acid leaching and alkaline precipitation process that separates spent lithium metal oxides into high-purity (>99.7%) lithium and transition metal hydroxide products. The Li2SO4 solution can be successfully restored at the end of each recycling cycle, enabling a sustainable process that requires only H2O2 as an external input. This approach avoids external cation contamination and eliminates the need for waste stream treatments. Existing lithium-ion battery recycling methods often involve energy-, chemical- and/or waste-intensive processes. Here, the authors develop an electrochemical method for lithium-ion battery recycling based on a porous solid electrolyte reactor, enabling efficient reuse of valuable materials in spent cathodes, with high lithium and transition metal recovery efficiency and low energy consumption.","PeriodicalId":501699,"journal":{"name":"Nature Chemical Engineering","volume":"2 2","pages":"142-151"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-02-26","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143490058","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-02-26DOI: 10.1038/s44286-025-00191-0
In this Editorial, we discuss how we consider advances in chemical engineering at the journal, taking into account metrics that can be human-, time- and context-dependent.
{"title":"Evaluating advances in chemical engineering","authors":"","doi":"10.1038/s44286-025-00191-0","DOIUrl":"10.1038/s44286-025-00191-0","url":null,"abstract":"In this Editorial, we discuss how we consider advances in chemical engineering at the journal, taking into account metrics that can be human-, time- and context-dependent.","PeriodicalId":501699,"journal":{"name":"Nature Chemical Engineering","volume":"2 2","pages":"91-91"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-02-26","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.nature.com/articles/s44286-025-00191-0.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143490064","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-02-24DOI: 10.1038/s44286-025-00184-z
David Zwicker
David Zwicker discusses the delicate balance between entropy and enthalpy that determines whether fluids comprising many components mix or phase separate.
{"title":"To mix or not to mix?","authors":"David Zwicker","doi":"10.1038/s44286-025-00184-z","DOIUrl":"10.1038/s44286-025-00184-z","url":null,"abstract":"David Zwicker discusses the delicate balance between entropy and enthalpy that determines whether fluids comprising many components mix or phase separate.","PeriodicalId":501699,"journal":{"name":"Nature Chemical Engineering","volume":"2 2","pages":"152-152"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-02-24","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143490056","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-02-24DOI: 10.1038/s44286-025-00190-1
Mo Qiao
{"title":"The green hydrogen implementation gap","authors":"Mo Qiao","doi":"10.1038/s44286-025-00190-1","DOIUrl":"10.1038/s44286-025-00190-1","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":501699,"journal":{"name":"Nature Chemical Engineering","volume":"2 2","pages":"94-94"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-02-24","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143490057","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-02-21DOI: 10.1038/s44286-025-00185-y
Zihao Zhang, Abhinandan Nabera, Gonzalo Guillén-Gosálbez, Javier Pérez-Ramírez
Acetylene, produced from coal or natural gas, was a cornerstone of the chemical industry until the 1960s. However, the long-term global availability of inexpensive petroleum before 1973 accelerated the production of olefins, diminishing acetylene’s market prominence because of their similar downstream applications. As petroleum prices fluctuate, acetylene has regained economic viability in certain regions, notably accounting for approximately one-third of the global vinyl chloride production, despite its high carbon footprint. Environmental and economic assessments show that replacing coal with biochar in acetylene-derived vinyl chloride production not only lowers the carbon footprint but also could remain economically viable compared with the ethylene route. Despite this potential, research on acetylene has been largely overlooked for decades. Here we provide an analysis of acetylene production technologies, propose sustainable production initiatives and quantify their economic and environmental performance, and explore potential applications. By showcasing this promising trajectory, we seek to rekindle interest and foster collaborative efforts in advancing sustainable acetylene production and broadening its use as a building block. Green acetylene production, utilizing renewable feedstocks and decarbonized electricity, can leverage both traditional and emerging technologies. This Perspective showcases how a transitional trajectory to green acetylene could rekindle interest in acetylene as a versatile building block for advancing sustainability in the chemical industry.
{"title":"Rekindling the use of acetylene as a chemical building block","authors":"Zihao Zhang, Abhinandan Nabera, Gonzalo Guillén-Gosálbez, Javier Pérez-Ramírez","doi":"10.1038/s44286-025-00185-y","DOIUrl":"10.1038/s44286-025-00185-y","url":null,"abstract":"Acetylene, produced from coal or natural gas, was a cornerstone of the chemical industry until the 1960s. However, the long-term global availability of inexpensive petroleum before 1973 accelerated the production of olefins, diminishing acetylene’s market prominence because of their similar downstream applications. As petroleum prices fluctuate, acetylene has regained economic viability in certain regions, notably accounting for approximately one-third of the global vinyl chloride production, despite its high carbon footprint. Environmental and economic assessments show that replacing coal with biochar in acetylene-derived vinyl chloride production not only lowers the carbon footprint but also could remain economically viable compared with the ethylene route. Despite this potential, research on acetylene has been largely overlooked for decades. Here we provide an analysis of acetylene production technologies, propose sustainable production initiatives and quantify their economic and environmental performance, and explore potential applications. By showcasing this promising trajectory, we seek to rekindle interest and foster collaborative efforts in advancing sustainable acetylene production and broadening its use as a building block. Green acetylene production, utilizing renewable feedstocks and decarbonized electricity, can leverage both traditional and emerging technologies. This Perspective showcases how a transitional trajectory to green acetylene could rekindle interest in acetylene as a versatile building block for advancing sustainability in the chemical industry.","PeriodicalId":501699,"journal":{"name":"Nature Chemical Engineering","volume":"2 2","pages":"99-109"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-02-21","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143490062","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-02-17DOI: 10.1038/s44286-024-00171-w
Ren Wei, Gert Weber, Lars M. Blank, Uwe T. Bornscheuer
Plastics (synthetic polymers) play an essential role in modern living, but their uncontrolled disposal has led to severe environmental impacts. The production of plastics is based on fossil feedstocks, which are associated with detrimental climate effects. Thus, sustainable concepts for the re- and upcycling of plastic waste are urgently required. Biotechnological approaches have recently emerged as innovative alternatives to conventional methods. Engineered ester hydrolases have enabled large-scale industrial recycling of the abundant polyester polyethylene terephthalate through monomer recovery, and recently discovered novel enzymes can depolymerize other plastics with hydrolyzable backbones. For plastics with only saturated carbon–carbon bonds in their backbones, such as polyolefins and polystyrene, a chemo-biotechnological process appears to be a viable option, where engineered microorganisms can metabolize small-molecule products from a (thermo)chemical polymer deconstruction to produce value-added products. Here recent achievements using biocatalytic and biotechnological methods are discussed. Plastics play an essential role in modern life, but their uncontrolled disposal has led to severe environmental impacts. Sustainable strategies for reusing plastics waste are urgently needed. This Perspective examines biotechnological solutions for plastics recycling and upcycling, with an emphasis on the process-oriented challenges involved in achieving a circular plastics economy.
{"title":"Process insights for harnessing biotechnology for plastic depolymerization","authors":"Ren Wei, Gert Weber, Lars M. Blank, Uwe T. Bornscheuer","doi":"10.1038/s44286-024-00171-w","DOIUrl":"10.1038/s44286-024-00171-w","url":null,"abstract":"Plastics (synthetic polymers) play an essential role in modern living, but their uncontrolled disposal has led to severe environmental impacts. The production of plastics is based on fossil feedstocks, which are associated with detrimental climate effects. Thus, sustainable concepts for the re- and upcycling of plastic waste are urgently required. Biotechnological approaches have recently emerged as innovative alternatives to conventional methods. Engineered ester hydrolases have enabled large-scale industrial recycling of the abundant polyester polyethylene terephthalate through monomer recovery, and recently discovered novel enzymes can depolymerize other plastics with hydrolyzable backbones. For plastics with only saturated carbon–carbon bonds in their backbones, such as polyolefins and polystyrene, a chemo-biotechnological process appears to be a viable option, where engineered microorganisms can metabolize small-molecule products from a (thermo)chemical polymer deconstruction to produce value-added products. Here recent achievements using biocatalytic and biotechnological methods are discussed. Plastics play an essential role in modern life, but their uncontrolled disposal has led to severe environmental impacts. Sustainable strategies for reusing plastics waste are urgently needed. This Perspective examines biotechnological solutions for plastics recycling and upcycling, with an emphasis on the process-oriented challenges involved in achieving a circular plastics economy.","PeriodicalId":501699,"journal":{"name":"Nature Chemical Engineering","volume":"2 2","pages":"110-117"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-02-17","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143490055","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-02-12DOI: 10.1038/s44286-025-00183-0
Qixuan Hu, Xuyi Luo, Lawal Adewale Ogunfowora, Abhay Athaley, Jason S. DesVeaux, Bruno C. Klein, Shu Xu, Pengfei Wu, Zitang Wei, Chenjian Lin, Tejaswini Haraniya, Dominick Maiorano, Bryan Boudouris, Jianguo Mei, Meltem Urgun-Demirtas, Gregg T. Beckham, Brett M. Savoie, Letian Dou
Currently, there are few examples of circularly recyclable polymers with all-carbon backbones, probably owing to the challenge of using selective C–C bond cleavage to efficiently produce monomers in recycling processes. Here we demonstrate a series of biologically sourced polymuconate polymers synthesized via simple free-radical polymerization that exhibit intrinsically weakened C–C bonds and controlled chemical recycling to monomers. Modifying the side chains and copolymerization ratios allows a wide range of mechanical property tuning, achieving performances comparable to those of commercial plastics such as polystyrene, polymethyl methacrylate and polybutadiene. Techno-economic analysis and life cycle assessment for production at a scale of 100 kilotons per year show that the materials are currently slightly more expensive and environmentally intensive compared with conventional rubbers. However, use of recycled materials via depolymerization can greatly decrease the cost and environmental impacts of polymuconate production (for example, down to US$1.59 per kilogram) to outperform its commercial counterparts. This study reports on biologically sourced polymuconate polymers with weakened C–C backbone bonds, designed for closed-loop chemical recycling to monomers. Synthesized via free-radical polymerization, these materials achieve tunable mechanical properties comparable to those of commercial plastics. A techno-economic analysis shows that recycling significantly reduces costs and environmental impacts, enhancing the competitiveness of these polymers in the sustainable plastics market.
{"title":"Scalable, biologically sourced depolymerizable polydienes with intrinsically weakened carbon–carbon bonds","authors":"Qixuan Hu, Xuyi Luo, Lawal Adewale Ogunfowora, Abhay Athaley, Jason S. DesVeaux, Bruno C. Klein, Shu Xu, Pengfei Wu, Zitang Wei, Chenjian Lin, Tejaswini Haraniya, Dominick Maiorano, Bryan Boudouris, Jianguo Mei, Meltem Urgun-Demirtas, Gregg T. Beckham, Brett M. Savoie, Letian Dou","doi":"10.1038/s44286-025-00183-0","DOIUrl":"10.1038/s44286-025-00183-0","url":null,"abstract":"Currently, there are few examples of circularly recyclable polymers with all-carbon backbones, probably owing to the challenge of using selective C–C bond cleavage to efficiently produce monomers in recycling processes. Here we demonstrate a series of biologically sourced polymuconate polymers synthesized via simple free-radical polymerization that exhibit intrinsically weakened C–C bonds and controlled chemical recycling to monomers. Modifying the side chains and copolymerization ratios allows a wide range of mechanical property tuning, achieving performances comparable to those of commercial plastics such as polystyrene, polymethyl methacrylate and polybutadiene. Techno-economic analysis and life cycle assessment for production at a scale of 100 kilotons per year show that the materials are currently slightly more expensive and environmentally intensive compared with conventional rubbers. However, use of recycled materials via depolymerization can greatly decrease the cost and environmental impacts of polymuconate production (for example, down to US$1.59 per kilogram) to outperform its commercial counterparts. This study reports on biologically sourced polymuconate polymers with weakened C–C backbone bonds, designed for closed-loop chemical recycling to monomers. Synthesized via free-radical polymerization, these materials achieve tunable mechanical properties comparable to those of commercial plastics. A techno-economic analysis shows that recycling significantly reduces costs and environmental impacts, enhancing the competitiveness of these polymers in the sustainable plastics market.","PeriodicalId":501699,"journal":{"name":"Nature Chemical Engineering","volume":"2 2","pages":"130-141"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-02-12","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143490066","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-02-12DOI: 10.1038/s44286-025-00175-0
Louise Breloy, Haritz Sardon
Polyolefins are challenging to recycle following a circular model owing to the recalcitrance of their constitutive C–C bonds. Now, a strategy based on intrinsically weakened C–C bonds is proposed to design biologically derived polyolefin-like materials that can be readily deconstructed back to monomers.
{"title":"Recyclable polyolefin-like materials with weakened all-carbon backbones","authors":"Louise Breloy, Haritz Sardon","doi":"10.1038/s44286-025-00175-0","DOIUrl":"10.1038/s44286-025-00175-0","url":null,"abstract":"Polyolefins are challenging to recycle following a circular model owing to the recalcitrance of their constitutive C–C bonds. Now, a strategy based on intrinsically weakened C–C bonds is proposed to design biologically derived polyolefin-like materials that can be readily deconstructed back to monomers.","PeriodicalId":501699,"journal":{"name":"Nature Chemical Engineering","volume":"2 2","pages":"97-98"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-02-12","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143490068","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-02-12DOI: 10.1038/s44286-025-00176-z
Dan Yang, Ken Chiang, Torben Daeneke
Converting CO2 into value-added solid carbon is a longstanding ambition in CO2 removal, but it is often limited by thermodynamic and kinetic constraints. To address this, a tandem reactor system has been developed to efficiently convert CO2 into carbon nanofibers.
{"title":"Getting rid of CO2 for good","authors":"Dan Yang, Ken Chiang, Torben Daeneke","doi":"10.1038/s44286-025-00176-z","DOIUrl":"10.1038/s44286-025-00176-z","url":null,"abstract":"Converting CO2 into value-added solid carbon is a longstanding ambition in CO2 removal, but it is often limited by thermodynamic and kinetic constraints. To address this, a tandem reactor system has been developed to efficiently convert CO2 into carbon nanofibers.","PeriodicalId":501699,"journal":{"name":"Nature Chemical Engineering","volume":"2 2","pages":"95-96"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-02-12","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143490067","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
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